[Imc-tech] Re: [Imsahp-users] Re: [Imc] server update

[Zachary C. Miller]

I agree. I was VERY frustrated with Sol Tec, primarily because I felt
like I gave them a wide opening for continueing to provide service. I
called and emailed them multiple times asking for information about
switching to a T1, about coloing with them, etc. I completely
understood that the DSL market was a losing one for them and that
discontinuing DSL was something they just had to do.

As far as their service goes, it's been very hit or miss. The great
thing is that basically you go from talking to some random person to
talking directly to their sysadmin who always takes care of
you. They've been plagued with random problems with their routing,
with getting attacked, with hardware failures at the CO over the years
and they've done a reasonable enough job addressing those
problems. There has always been a frustrating lack of communications
from them but they've also always been very flexible with their
billing and with loaning equipment when neccessary. 

They've had a LOT of staff turnover in the years we've been with them
and some of their staff have been super-stellar in their expertise and
some have seemed to be almost fumbling in the dark. Their sales and
billing staff have been similarly random in quality.

I have been VERY frustrated with Sol Tec but I am also keenly aware
that dealing with Mcleod or SBC will be even more frustrating in many
ways. I wanted to find a way to continue to work with Sol Tec but they
simply never got back to me and then the service cut out a week early
and I couldn't wait anymore. 

It may well be that when the service cut out at 2am it was because
something broke and they just opted not to fix it since they were
disscontinuing in a week anyway. It may be that the reason they never
contacted me back was because there was utter chaos there and it was
the holidays but the rooot level business decision to put this
discontinuation and it's chaos on a short time frame at the holidays
led to that. Not the workers' faults but SOMEONE made that business
decision. Either way, it sucked for me.

I've negotiated a very good deal on a 384/384 McLeod SDSL line that
should be in place in the next 2-3 weeks. I'm working on getting an
additional backup line from another vendor in place so that we no
longer rely on a single company.

Honestly, if Sol Tec apologized for the inconvenience and made a good
offer, I might STILL consider them for T1 service because as bad as
they are, they're still small and local and flexible in a way that no
one else is (except Volo who I am currently working with but I think
they can't get a signal to my house).

I don't think there's a good reason to go out of our way to hurt Sol
Tec, there's nothing to be gained. A balanced story telling all the
background and all sides of the story about what has happened would be
good for explaining the whole situation to our users though. I'd be
happy to be interviewed for such a story, I would hope that someone
would interview folks at Sol Tec and OJC as well. Such a story
wouldn't really be complete until we've finished our transition to a
new service (we're on temporary emergency service from OJC right now),
I'd aim to publish it after the story unfolds a bit more.

Clint Popetz wrote:
> On Sun, Dec 26, 2004 at 02:35:17PM -0600, Mike Lehman wrote:
> > Hi Clint,
> > Thanks for your thoughts. That is why I asked before I did it. If those 
> > are the circumstances, truly beyond Soltec's control, than I agree that 
> > smacking them while they are down is not appropriate.
> > 
> > I've never had to deal with Soltec, but I had heard that their service 
> > was previously pretty good, based on comments by others. What I was 
> > wondering was -- Why the change in their previous good service? I 
> > assumed it was some new management, acquired by someone else, or 
> > something, but not circumstances beyond their control.
> 
> In truth I have no idea why they discontinued DSL...it may have been
> any of the things you mention.  But the DSL market has been very tough
> of late, due to the factors I mentioned, and I am not surprised to see
> SolTec drop DSL service.  So I am only suggesting that someone
> intending to do a story should do some digging, which any good IMCista
> would probably do anyway :)
> 
> > But I still have to admit the way this was carried out seems very 
> > unprofessional to me. 
> 
> I agree with that, based on the comments Zach has made.  But I'll also
> say that I've been in the employ of no less than three companies that
> went under or were bought, and I can tell you that it's a chaotic
> time, and the uncertainty over individuals' jobs, company future, etc.
> often leads to a chain-reaction of bad service.  It's a tough time
> telling customers "Sorry, but we're no longer here for you" and
> although there are better and worse ways of doing it, none are easy.
> 
> 			-Clint
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-- 
Zachary C. Miller - @= - http://wolfgang.groogroo.com/
IMSA 1995 - UIUC 2000 - Just Another Leftist Muppet - Ya Basta!
 Social Justice, Community, Nonviolence, Decentralization, Feminism,
 Sustainability, Responsibility, Diversity, Democracy, Ecology